RULE 12

Love is not enough

How many times have you heard the cliché ‘The most important thing you can give your children is love’? Well, yes, obviously love is essential. I think we’ve all worked that one out. But if that was all you gave them, they would be missing out badly.

Hippy-style parents (I know about them – I was one once) often seem to imagine that children should be allowed to run wild and free with the wind in their hair and the earth beneath their feet, happy because they know you love them. You should never try to restrain them (you’re controlling them) or limit their behaviour (you’re putting metaphorical bars around them).

Excuse me a moment.

Ah, that’s better. I’ve just been to throw up. Back again now.

I used to live in Glastonbury ...

Get The Rules of Parenting, 2nd Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.